diff --git a/byobu-status b/byobu-status
index 47f5940a..c4d34eef 100755
--- a/byobu-status
+++ b/byobu-status
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ case "$P" in
 	;;
 	color)
 		[ -r "$HOME/.$PKG/color" ] && . "$HOME/.$PKG/color"
-		[ -z "$COLOR" ] && printf "$Wk" || printf "$ESC{= $COLOR}"
+		[ -z "$FOREGROUND" ] && FOREGROUND="k"
+		[ -z "$BACKGROUND" ] && BACKGROUND="W"
+		printf "$ESC{= $BACKGROUND$FOREGROUND}"
 	;;
 	*)
 		eval x="\$$P" || exit 1
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 2ba3b194..e7b9df42 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ byobu (2.40) unreleased; urgency=low
     profile colors from a config file, and use a special "color" status
     item to dynamically render it
   * bin/menu: add a space to the -r test, LP: #490894
+  * profiles_generator/profile.skel: use the reverse color for the current
+    window highlighting; works better with odd color combinations, maximizes
+    contrast
+  * byobu-status: separate COLOR into FOREGROUND and BACKGROUND; more
+    flexibility
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:18:20 -0600
 
diff --git a/profiles_generator/profile.skel b/profiles_generator/profile.skel
index 8ae7227a..8c8b39c4 100644
--- a/profiles_generator/profile.skel
+++ b/profiles_generator/profile.skel
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 source /usr/share/byobu/profiles/common
 
 # Window tabs, second to last line
-caption always "%12`%?%-Lw%50L>%?%{=b wb}%n*%f %t%?(%u)%?%12`%?%+Lw%?%11` %=%12`%110`%109`%122`%111`%10`%<"
+caption always "%12`%?%-Lw%50L>%?%{=r }%{+b }%n*%f %t%?(%u)%?%12`%?%+Lw%?%11` %=%12`%110`%109`%122`%111`%10`%<"
 
 # Status string, last line
 hardstatus string '%99`%12` %100`%112`%= %102`%101`%129`%127`%114`%115`%108`%128`%125`%126`%113`%119`%117`%116`%106`%104`%103`%105`%107`%123`%120`%121`'